Staying In, a Poem by by Sherre Vernon

(—how long will you stay here

—) fieldglyph stonemarker, you

(—how long

highwaystill & pantryfull

three to a bed—five to a house

treefruit & wildherb

(—but how long can you joy here

(—but how long

storystream & longsoak

march april may

(—joy here

little hand in mine—face against my chest

(—don’t tell me

noonsun & childdream

(—the sun

the sun is an exit—)

*first line adapted from Brenda Hillman

**last lines adapted from Emily Skaja

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Sherre Vernon is a seeker of a mystical grammar and a recipient of the Parent-Writer Fellowship at The Martha's Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing. She has two award-winning chapbooks: "Green Ink Wings" (fiction) and "The Name is Perilous" (poetry). Readers describe Sherre’s work as heartbreaking, richly layered, lyrical, and intelligent. To read more of her work visit www.sherrevernon.com/publications and tag her into conversation @sherrevernon.